What started as just Adelric and his mother quickly escalats into a gathering as large and chaotic as his small mind can imagine. A black mare, followed by another black cat. His childish mind quickly makes an observation: all adult horses are followed by black cats. But the arrival of a great, hulking beast of a stallion with no black cat in tow leaves the child pondering his earlier assessment. All adult mares are followed by black cats, he decides on, in a more abstract notion, his foal brain still not developed enough to contemplate ideas in such a specific manner.

And the arrival of others meant more sounds, more noises, that the child did not specifically understand yet, but that instinct told him were urgent, in the case of the black mare, fatherly, in the case of the white beast. The touch of the black mare does nothing to comfort him, but he does not fight it. He is too weak to run, too busy learning to stand to want to fall to the ground away for her. As for the gentle rumbling that jettisons forth from Krieger's mouth, it only makes him tilt his head. That word again, Adelric. Does it refer to himself? He bleats a call to the beast, eager, interested, and tries to take a step forward as the beast turns away. But Edison did not make his light bulb on the first try and the child will not walk on his. He wobbles awkwardly then tumbles to the ground, but he does not fret. In moments, he is forcing himself to his feet again, impatient and excited to try this new motion again. Walking- he is certain it is the key to getting what he desires.

The other tall, gangly thing that his mother has ejected from his womb lays on the ground still while she is cleaned by the monstrous unicorn. He and her are receiving the same attention. Should he love her too? He thinks he should and decides on the spot that he will. And what of Krieger and Delinne, are they worthy of his love as well? They are present, and so he resolves in that moment that he will love them all and that they will all be a family.

With the rising of his mother, the child tries again to walk, stepping forward, stumbling, concentrating so hard on his steps that he does not hear the rage in his exhausted mother's voice. But when he is able to step forward without tumbling, he knows that it is time. He approaches his mother and begins to search for his first meal, the first of many that will nourish him and give him strength in these coming months.

Adelric